The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-09-23


''If you hadn'tfallcn in love with some
one else, and az !yosl were quite sure Mr..
Optimus Codd didh want to marry you.
Don't You DE the'least bit gracious to him
or he'll say you gave him encouragement.
They always do If you are polite But,
Geraldine, advise yoa to give up Reggie
Paulet. lie has got ihst to nothing, and
you can't maryOn love. !" a
Lady Geraldine tossed up her pretty
head. You mimi your own business,
Maggie. You'recVery disagreeable, and
shan't tell you anything more about any
,one meet"
In due courss yuf time Mr.. Gold did
come to the schoolYoom to inspect Geral-
dimes drawings. Lady Margaret and an
Anticipated German governess were read
ing aloud. nn6
II hope we are mot interrupting. Mr..
Godd is very anxious to see my sketches,
Fraulein. This is my sister, Mr.. Codd. {"
elbow do youdo, Mr.. Codd. 1t is very
Kind of you to come up here. Geraldine
has told me all about you. You have
such lovely houseand beautiful pictures,
and such. nice things to eat. / am not
tout' or should like to come and see ii
ALL
Mr.. Codd murmnred something vague
about next year.
Jerry is very kind to me, you know,
though she. will not make haste and get
married. If l want particularly to see
any of her admirers-you do admire her,
of course, or you wouldm mot come so often
she always manages to bring them up
stairs. Now, Rupert Paulet and l are
great friends-isn't he q dear boy? And
Lord Strathnelian was very nice, too, till
f.aroI1iras- raftrsa1 him, oxad bn off 10
America, and has been shooting bears
ever since. You know ] mustn't come
downstairs to the drawing room or be in
spected by any young men before my
hour has struck. Mamma would faint il
l made myself known prematurely. am
to burst suddenly on the fashionable
world. Do you admire mamma? Don't
you think her cleverp Oh, You would say
she is clever IL you knew my sisters
Letitia and IIermione They are both
very stupid and not particularly good
looking-Jerry and are the best of the
1ot-yet they both married well, and
Letitia Is a warehouses Mamma man.
aged it oil. You can't think how dull
and pompous my brother in law Slate
ford is! don't think should care to be
a marchioness.
Mr.. Codd appeared much amused by
this girlish chatter. The outspoken Lady
Margaret had q charming piquante face
that made people feel young to look at.
Lady Geraldine and the Governess re-
turned from the adjoining room with port
folios to find Mr.. Codd and Lady Mar
garet on the best of terms.
Mr.. Codd had no previous conception
that aristocratic lips were ever frank and
ingenious, though he was, of course,
aware the humanity of lower degree is
candid to painful degree.
After three weeks or SO Lady Umfre-
vile began to think it time for Mr.. Gold
to make up his mind. Why did he not
propose to Geraldine?
The preliminaries had gone on long
enough, and the worlds eyes were begin
ming to fix curiously on the pair. Lady
Umfreville had monopolized the wealthy
stakeholder too fully to escape calumny
The countess thought it might be expe-
dent to give the backward sutton gen.
tie push. The honor intended for him
might seem too great. In secluded
corner at garden party she opened fire.
'You are evidently not marrying
man, Mr.. Codd," she said, playfully.
How can yen resist the lovely girls you
meet daily?'
Mr.. Ccdd cast sharp. glance Mt the
ady's smiling face.
my thoughts have been always given
TO other mattcrs--morc prosaic things,
Lady Umfreville Till lately the idea of
never entered my head"
"Ah, then, suppose you have begun
TO think of it, Indeed'a man of your po-
sition, of your wealth and influence, owes
this duty to society. OF course you are
entitled to look for birth and beauty, and
feel sure that any well brought up, right
minded girl will appreciate your sterling
qualities. have no son of my own, you
Know with sigh, ''but l assure YOU,
Mr.. Codd, / feel quite a maternal inter
est in your welfare"
This was rather more than necessary.
Mr.. Codd's little eyes sparkled.
"Pray cease, Lady Umfreville. / am.
not o man to rate my own merits beneath
their worth, but / cannot allow you to
speak In these terms"
II have thought, Mr.. Codd," continued
the unabashed countess, "thnt your re-
lnarkablc modesty might prevent you
from aspiring In direction Where your
heart may be engaged Let me offer you
You remember the old
adagc faint heart never won fair lady
l think should like cup of tea now, Mr..
Codd."
The stock brokers' eyes were downcast
as he conducted the lady to marquee.
While she slipped her tea she wondered
nudibly what had become of Geraldine.
Finally she sent Mr.. Codd in quest of the
rowing damsel He presently found her
issuing from a secluded shrubbery in COM
pany of Rupert Paulet He smiled at his
friend as he declared his mission to Lady
Geraldine. 81
That evening Rupert Paulet dined tete-
a-tete with Mr.. Codd. When the servants
left the room q silence fell between the
two men.
cam 1 to congratulate you, old fell
low?'' said Mr.. Codd at last.
''My dear Codd, you are the best hacker
in the world. You may congratulate me;
1 have won her, and it is all owing to you.
You have put the only lucky chance
have ever had In my way. Thcre'll be the
deuce to pay with her ladyship, of course;
but when she knows all there may be ex-
tenuating circumstances"
Mr.. Codd, getting up from his seat,
laid hand on the younger mans
shoulder.
sI was nearly falling in love with her